1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to energy management and more particularly to methods for charging batteries.
2. Description of the Related Art
Portable electronic devices, such as cellular telephones and personal digital assistants, have become very popular in today's marketplace. Virtually all of these devices receive their power from a portable, rechargeable battery. A typical battery of this nature may be charged and discharged hundreds of times over its lifetime, particularly if the device to which the battery supplies power is heavily used.
Presently, when a rechargeable battery is new, the battery can be charged to its maximum capacity, i.e., 100 percent of capacity. As the battery is charged and discharged over the course of its life, however, its charge capacity decreases. For example, after roughly 400 charge/discharge cycles, the battery may only be chargeable to eighty-five percent of its original maximum capacity. As a result, a user may notice that the portable electronic device that receives its power from the battery does not provide as much time for active or standby operations between chargings as the device initially did.